Monday, October 5, 2009

After friends encouraged me with stories of success, I tried one of the "closed" network online dating services. The initial attraction was that a trial was free. I also rationalized that completing a lengthy questionnaire about preferences, values and priorities would filter out those guys who just want a roll in the hay rather than an LTR (long-term relationship). Almost immediately one guy and I started exchaning information via the closed network system. In other words, no emails or phone numbers were exchanged. Communications were restricted through this "safe" network. The sytem "matched" us according to our profiles that were created from our respective responses to the questionnaire. Pretty scientific, huh? Not exactly.

After progressively revealing more information over the course of a couple of weeks, he abruptly ended our "safe network" communications. He had a lot of "pre-set" reasons to choose from but selected the illustrious: "other". Perhaps he was simultaneously juggling a lot of communications from different women. There could be countless reasons why he shut it down. Although I'll never know the "real" reason why communications were shut down, I just chalked it up to experience.

What, if any experiences and/or successes have you had with these "closed" network matching services? Do you think that only the "lonely" types who can't talk to people in regular social situations use these vehicles?

Followers

Blog Archive

About Me

I am an over 30 hopeless romantic who loves adventures, going out with and entertaining friends, meeting new people, and giving back to my community.
I only dated one guy seriously before I married my first husband two weeks after I graduated from college. I am divorced and learning so much about a dating world I never experienced.
As a professional researcher, my dating blog not only describes my dating experiences, but also includes research to help make sense out of dating behaviors so that we can learn and grow towards those nurturing relationships that sustain us. Self-love and awareness are the first steps to healthy relationships. Please share your experiences and truth so that we can better relate and possibly process and eventaully avoid some of the pain that we all have experienced on this journey of love.